The 11th Armored Division was activated on August 15, 1942. Like many armored units, the 11th conducted numerous training operations stateside before deploying to England in 1944. Once in England, the Division continued to train for the war against Germany until December of 1944. On the 17th of that month the 11th landed in the European Theater of Operations at Normandy, France.

Just 6 days after arriving in France, the 11th Armored entered combat. The German Ardennes Offensive had changed their operations orders and the 11th was attached to General Patton's Third Army. The Division advanced over 400 miles in just 4 days in preparation of driving the Germans back. Their advance took them into Belgium where they fought the Germans for the first time on December 30th.

The 11th Armored fought some of Germany's toughest units during the Ardennes Offensive, also known as the Battle of the Bulge, uncluding defeating the 26th Volksgrenadier Division to keep the supply lines to Bastogne open, ensuring the survival of the besieged 101st Airborne Division.

From the end of December until February 20 of 1945, the 11th Armored continued to fight the retreating Germans across Belgium. Luxembourg, and The Netherlands. After a brief rest following the breach of the Siegfried line, the Division crossed into Germany against heavy resistance.

Still assigned to Third Army, this drive continued across Germany as town after town fell to the advancing American Army. The 11th Armored Division was called upon time and again to assault some of Germany's toughest strongpoints. Each town was defended heavily as was each river crossing. Yet nothing could stop the Thunderbolts. At the beginning of May, the 11th Armored and Third Army had driven the German Army into Austria and were poised to finish them off once and for all when Germany surrendered.

The most brutal experience for the men of the 11th Armored came on May 5th when a Cavalry patrol reported a heavily guarded encampment. The patrol had captured some 1,800 prisoners. The 11th Armored moved to the camps to discover that they were 2 of Germany's concentration camps, Gusen and Mauthausen. Medical assistance was given to those who needed it and other soldiers set to the grim task of burying the victims of Nazi brutality.

The 11th Armored Division spent 96 days in combat. 614 Thunderbolt soldiers were killed in action and another 2,500 wounded. In all the Division captured over 76,000 enemy soldiers. The 11th Armored Division was composed of the following units:

Combat Command A, Combat Command B, Reserve Command, 22d Tank Battalion, 41st Tank Battalion, 42d Tank Battalion, 21st Armored Infantry Battalion, 55th Armored Infantry Battalion, 63d Armored Infantry Battalion, 41st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized), 56th Armored Engineer Battalion, 151st Armored Signal Company, 11th Armored Division Artillery, 490th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 491st Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 492d Armored Field Artillery Battalion , 11th Armored Division Trains, 133d Ordnance Maintenance Battalion, 81st Armored Medical Battalion, Military Police Platoon and Band.

The Division remained in Germany for several months on occupation duty until they were disbanded in September of 1945. The Division has never been reactivated.